Poison
by harlequin4ever
Summary: When Harleen makes a decision to end the life of the baby inside of her daughter, for the sake of her family-will her daughter remind her that family's forever?
1. Chapter 1

Still not having enough information about her family's heritage, and being so curious now-and she really thought it was the hormones and being pregnant as well, which didn't help... Auri hadn't seen much of her Mother lately, actually she seemed to be avoiding her.

So, walking into her office cautiously, she spoke up.

"Mom?"


	2. Chapter 2

All she could think about, was Thomas' words. They echoed inside her head, it was all she could think about. It made her so angry, and she couldn't do a damned thing about it. That was the curse of having an evil demon inside of you. If you hurt the host's body, they can retreat, and you're stuck with the poor soul who's the innocent one being taken for a test drive.

She knew all too well. She sometimes had to keep reminding herself that she had died more times than she could count, and still she was alive and kicking. It was a massive reality check.

And since she couldn't hurt her precious son, she had to let that monster ride around in Spencer at his own free will.

/SNAP/

"Damn it!" That was another pen, broken, because she was so frustrated. If only there were a way to torture Mathias without hurting Spencer. She'd be all for it. Payback was a bitch. She wondered briefly if Spencer actually /knew/ what Mathias had done to her innocent daughter. Spencer just seemed rather snappy at them lately. Could see that he was wound up, and very over protective of Auri as of late.

She just supposed that since they had died once again, and left them for months on end, that it had been enough time to get used to being just with each other. They were almost inseparable. Like the weren't before, but even more so now. It made her sick to think that Mathias had used Spencer like that to Aurora.

God, she was going to be sick! And then her daughters voice scared her, and she jumped. Boy, she hadn't been scared or been snuck up on in a long time. Her heart beat in her chest loudly, and she turned to look at her baby girl.

"Yes dear?"


	3. Chapter 3

When her Mother jumped, she jumped as well. "Sorry. I-I just, wanted to ask you about our family, that's all. But you're probably busy, I'll come back later." And she went to walk out.

About to frown and leave it at that, since she was too wound up about everything else, an idea came to mind. With Auri turning to leave, she orbed the glass vial into her hand and slipped it into her pocket. This was the perfect plan.

Mother daughter bonding.

She could do this. There wasn't any other time. And she prayed to the Heaven's that she would be forgiven. "Wait, Auri, sweet heart." She raced after her. "We haven't had time to really talk. How about I make you a nice cup of tea, and we'll sit down and chat. Hmm?" Her eyes pleaded to her daughter.


	4. Chapter 4

Turning at the sound of her Mother's voice, in an almost beg, she smiled lightly and nodded. "Of course-it sounds rather nice right now. I'd like that very much."

They walked to the kitchen, and Auri got out some teas to chose from, and some snacks for them to eat. And then she started. "So-I was talking to Daddy the other day, and asked about Theia and granddad." She paused. "You know you've never spoken about your parents to us. And I was a little curious-Spencer and I remember Uncle Luke, but, we don't know much about anyone really. And I'd like to know /something/ about our heritage."

At the mention of Theia, she lowered her eyes, but then Auri was talking about not knowing who her grandparents were, and Harleen froze. She never had ever talked about her parents. Not once. She knew that one day, someone would ask. Because not only did the kids not know. Bruce didn't know either. Or at least-she thought he didn't.

That was her dark past. And she hated bringing it up, even /thinking/ about it. That was some poor lost girl-seen through a foggy veil. Memories flooded her mind, all crystal clear, but in the warped veil..

But her brother. She loved her brother so much. But, she still didn't know him all that well. He was taken from her, and only in her adult life-had she gotten her brother back.

Noticing that her Mother had froze, Auri fell silent. She knew her Mom had a keen sense of anger-but there was a spooky and very eerie silence drifting through the kitchen, and she bit at her lip. "I was only wondering, because now I'm having a baby-I'd like to know. And you know, not read it through a news paper or online.."

Trails off and goes to help her Mother with some tea.


	5. Chapter 5

Did it just drop three degrees colder? Or was that just her? She didn't know. But at the mention of the baby, she remembered what she had to do. So setting on a happy masquerade, she waved Auri away, and made her sit down. "Don't worry about it. You just sit and relax."

It made her blood boil even thinking about it, and the sooner the kettle boiled, the sooner it would be all over. Auri would be her little innocent once more, and no one would have to know it was her doing. She would save them all. It was her job.

"Anything you'd like to know darling...shoot away." Though she would never tell, it was only a game for her daughters benefit. Keeping up appearances.

Shivering slightly, she jumped at her Mother's lighter voice, and it was like seeing a colour movies after a black and white one. Something changed, and she was being waved to go sit down before she could think about it, and grinned, sitting in her chair.

She was giving her a chance to know details. And she took it.

"What were your parents like?"

Knowing that would have been the first question out of many, she nodded as if she knew. "I could never quite put my finger on them." The kettle boiled, and she started making the tea. Auri was watching her, so she'd have to be very quick and sneaky. Both of which she could manage to no end.

"They were in love, no matter what anyone else claims."


	6. Chapter 6

Frowning, she knew that her Mother was being very cryptic with her, and she wanted to know all the details instantly. Rolling her eyes, she listened, her Mother's back to her, while she played with the chair edge. "Like you and Daddy are? Did they fight a lot?"

Setting Auri's tea aside, she slipped the vial out of her pocket and poured the clear liquid into the hot tea. Stirring, she prayed to the gods that she be shown mercy, took a deep slow breath, and then started making her own tea, shoving the now empty glass tube, into the bin so it wouldn't be found.

She barely even heard what she had said, too busy freaking the fuck out inside at what she was about to do. "Sort of. Without all the horror and gore..." But she didn't know how to answer that last question.

So she thought on it, finished making her tea, and brought them both to the table where Auri sat. "Here you go.." Slides over the drink, and takes her own. "Darling, everyone fights, sometimes you just have to suck it up and remember what's right.." She didn't know if she was saying that to Auri-or to herself. Her smile faltered.

Listening intently to her Mother's words, she tried to imagine them on what little she had so far. Someone in her family must have had blue eyes and blonde hair, she was sure of it. She just couldn't picture whom. Then her Mother sat down beside her at the table and she happily took her tea. Thanking her Mother, she nodded, listened to her wise words, grinned, and then noticed the smile she wore, fade.

Something hadn't seemed right back home, and she was trying to get her Father to open up, but he was so damned stubborn about it all and wouldn't talk. Well, at least now she knew how it felt to keep her own secrets. He kept looking at her with such sad lost eyes. It hurt her more than it should have. But she persisted on. Because he simply couldn't know. But keeping silent, she raised the mug to take a sip...

Aurora's words of thanks, brought up many memories of her when she was a child. One of the last times she had seen her precious baby daughter before she grew up. She could hear her words, spoken like a child. One of thanks. Thanks for being there. Thanks for everything you've ever sacrificed...thanks for my life in which you gave to me willingly out of your own life.

It dawned on her then and there.

She was making a MASSIVE mistake. She couldn't hurt her child, no more than she could kill a baby. Evil or not. They would deal with it. Like a family did. That's what they did. They protect the ones they love. Not hurt them. Whether or not something's going to harm them in the long run.

Auri was about to take a sip, when she cried out. "No, wait, that's mine!" And reached over quickly to pull it away from her lips, before the cup touched. The hot liquid sloshed a little on her arms, but she took a huge gulp from the drink and drank half the cup down before Auri could do anything about it.


	7. Chapter 7

Before Auri could even take that sip, suddenly her Mother was crying out that it was her cup. About to tell her that she swore she didn't have cooties and laugh it off, she was reaching for it, and gulping it all down. A little confused, the brunette just stammered. "M-Mom?" Actually a lot confused, she just stared waiting for an explanation.

Gulping it all down, so that there wasn't any liquid left in the cup, and made rather a bad mess over her blouse, she burped unlady like, and tried for a smile. "Accidentally gave you the one with the shot of whiskey.." Was all she could muster.

Auri was looking a little stunned at her, and she knew that must have been a little bit of a shock to see, but it was better than telling her what it really was going to be for. Auri would have hated her forever. She jsut couldn't let it happen.

Only now, she didn't feel too good. Coughing a little, she went to stand, and wobbled on her legs. Hands shooting out to grip at the table, her breathing became a little more erratic than normal, and she coughed a little harder that time, one hard gripping at her chest.

Arching a brow, she was about to tell her Mother off for drinking around her, when she started coughing. Maybe she inhaled it a little too much, and when her Mother stood, she was up and at her side. "Mom, how about you just sit down for a second, and let that all pass-why would you put whiskey in your tea?" Makes a grossed out face, but then she was coughing everywhere, and Auri was starting to get a little panicked.

"Breathe deep, it's okay.. Here." Tries to sit her Mother down back into the chair, when she caught sight of her eyes. They were blood red, and she froze. Because that's not all that was red-the blood oozing from the side of her mouth didn't look too great to her.

"M-Mom?" Her breath caught in her throat, and she had no idea what to do. "Daddy?" She whispered out, not knowing if her own Mother was going to turn on her, or if something was happening to her.

Auri was trying to help her, and she tried to push her back. Away. Blinking, her world was slowly spinning out of control, felt the blood dribbling down her throat. Okay, so maybe something was in the potion. But Thomas' words rang in her ears. It didn't kill, it induced labor. But she wasn't pregnant.. So what the fuck was going on?

But before she could say anything, she turned wild eyes on her daughter, dropped to the floor, and started convulsing. Coughing up blood, she called out for Bruce to come quick.

This time, she screamed. "DADDY!" As her Mother dropped to the ground, she ran out calling her her Father. "MOMMA'S IN TROUBLE. HELP!"


	8. Chapter 8

Bruce was over in the seldom ventured to East Wing of the Manor, but he heard them both shouting for help in the same instant. The tub of powdered chemicals he'd been holding, fell from his hand to splash loudly into the swimming pool. He didn't care about the goddamned chemicals. He let them spill into the water. He was already flying out of the room. "HARLS?!" He cried out, a burst of cool air hitting him as he skid into the giant ballroom. He had no idea where the calls had come from. As he rounded the corner, he saw Auri rushing down the giant stairwell towards him. "What's wrong?!" He cried, "Where's your mother?!"

Almost crashing into her Father, she skidded to a halt, grabbed at him, white as a ghost and pulled him to where Mother was. "She-she!" But she couldn't get the words out, because she didn't even know what had happened. "Blood!"

Racing back into the room, she saw her Mother spewing out bright red. She didn't know what to do! What was she to do, that's why Daddy was here!

Seeing the pure terror in his little girl's face... Bruce knew whatever it was, it was bad. At the mention of blood, he tore off after his daughter as they raced upstairs to Harls' office.

The sight that greeted him would have been enough to freak any normal man out. Harls on the floor, convulsing violently, covered in blood. Her face was deathly pale, her big blue orbs full of pain, fear, and ... something else he couldn't quite pin. Well Bruce wasn't exactly a normal man, but he was still freaking the fuck out. For Christ sake, that was his love... his wife... his very life there on the floor. "Harls! Oh god!" Despite the fact that he was completely freaking the fuck out inside though... he was Bruce Gallio. And he kept his head about him as best he could.

He fell to his knees beside her, lifting her into his lap. His eyes bright and shining with fear and concern. "Baby... what's wrong? What's happened. Harls?!" Her skin was burning to the touch, a fine sheen of sweat over her forehead. He felt at her pulse, it was strong, but erractic. It wasn't until he looked into her eyes and saw the big, black pupils dilated to capacity that he knew... his heart lurched. His shot around the room, and there... not two feet from his wife, he found the empty tea cup. He snatched at it, bringing it to his nose. His sensitive nose picked up the very slightest... very faintest scent of something. He couldn't quite place it, but he could smell that it was /wrong/. There had been more than tea and... whiskey.. Harls didn't take whiskey in her tea? What the hell was going on here? "She's been poisoned! I need charcoal and a large glass of warm salt water! Hurry sweetie!"

Choking on the blood she couldn't cough up, and feeling it fill up her lungs-and then suddenly Bruce was there, pulling her onto his lap, she managed to wheeze out. "Just-a little...blood." Vomits a fountain of blood all over him. Then pats his arm. "I'll be fine."

Blinking, she tried to sit up, and felt something in her eye. That's when blood started seeping from her black eyes. She wanted to tell him, and Auri was running back to the kitchen-she grabbed his shirt, desperate to get the words out. She wasn't bad, she was trying to help. "I save-" Inhales sharply. "-saved her!"

Scratching her arms enough to hurt herself, she cried out.

"Saved her?! Who did this Harls?! How did you know?!" He held her, despite the fountain of blood she spewed all over him. She trembled in his arms, her eyes bleeding. "HURRY AURI!" He felt so helpless. Seeing her like this. He didn't know what was going on, all he knew was she was dying in his arms here. She was more powerful than he was at the moment. If whatever this poison was, was strong enough to get through her supernatural defenses... "Who did this Harls?"


	9. Chapter 9

Bruce was over in the seldom ventured to East Wing of the Manor, but he heard them both shouting for help in the same instant. The tub of powdered chemicals he'd been holding, fell from his hand to splash loudly into the swimming pool. He didn't care about the goddamned chemicals. He let them spill into the water. He was already flying out of the room. "HARLS?!" He cried out, a burst of cool air hitting him as he skid into the giant ballroom. He had no idea where the calls had come from. As he rounded the corner, he saw Auri rushing down the giant stairwell towards him. "What's wrong?!" He cried, "Where's your mother?!"

Almost crashing into her Father, she skidded to a halt, grabbed at him, white as a ghost and pulled him to where Mother was. "She-she!" But she couldn't get the words out, because she didn't even know what had happened. "Blood!"

Racing back into the room, she saw her Mother spewing out bright red. She didn't know what to do! What was she to do, that's why Daddy was here!

Seeing the pure terror in his little girl's face... Bruce knew whatever it was, it was bad. At the mention of blood, he tore off after his daughter as they raced upstairs to Harls' office.

The sight that greeted him would have been enough to freak any normal man out. Harls on the floor, convulsing violently, covered in blood. Her face was deathly pale, her big blue orbs full of pain, fear, and ... something else he couldn't quite pin. Well Bruce wasn't exactly a normal man, but he was still freaking the fuck out. For Christ sake, that was his love... his wife... his very life there on the floor. "Harls! Oh god!" Despite the fact that he was completely freaking the fuck out inside though... he was Bruce Gallio. And he kept his head about him as best he could.

He fell to his knees beside her, lifting her into his lap. His eyes bright and shining with fear and concern. "Baby... what's wrong? What's happened. Harls?!" Her skin was burning to the touch, a fine sheen of sweat over her forehead. He felt at her pulse, it was strong, but erractic. It wasn't until he looked into her eyes and saw the big, black pupils dilated to capacity that he knew... his heart lurched. His shot around the room, and there... not two feet from his wife, he found the empty tea cup. He snatched at it, bringing it to his nose. His sensitive nose picked up the very slightest... very faintest scent of something. He couldn't quite place it, but he could smell that it was /wrong/. There had been more than tea and... whiskey.. Harls didn't take whiskey in her tea? What the hell was going on here? "She's been poisoned! I need charcoal and a large glass of warm salt water! Hurry sweetie!"

Choking on the blood she couldn't cough up, and feeling it fill up her lungs-and then suddenly Bruce was there, pulling her onto his lap, she managed to wheeze out. "Just-a little...blood." Vomits a fountain of blood all over him. Then pats his arm. "I'll be fine."

Blinking, she tried to sit up, and felt something in her eye. That's when blood started seeping from her black eyes. She wanted to tell him, and Auri was running back to the kitchen-she grabbed his shirt, desperate to get the words out. She wasn't bad, she was trying to help. "I save-" Inhales sharply. "-saved her!"

Scratching her arms enough to hurt herself, she cried out.

"Saved her?! Who did this Harls?! How did you know?!" He held her, despite the fountain of blood she spewed all over him. She trembled in his arms, her eyes bleeding. "HURRY AURI!" He felt so helpless. Seeing her like this. He didn't know what was going on, all he knew was she was dying in his arms here. She was more powerful than he was at the moment. If whatever this poison was, was strong enough to get through her supernatural defenses... "Who did this Harls?"


	10. Chapter 10

Racing out of the room, as fast as her little body could carry her, she was in the kitchen and looking for a piece of charcoal and the salt water, freaking out over all that blood. Once finding all the things, she quickly raced out-only to find the room empty when she came back.

About to drop the glass, she heard the water running from upstairs and felt the tension ease around her. So obviously her mother was fine. Breathing out a sigh, she sat down on the chair, dusted her hands off from the charcoal and laid her head on the table, before falling asleep...

The water was drawn and ready, but when he looked back to go help her out of her messy clothes, he saw she was shaking with silent sobs. "Oh sweetheart...it's okay..." He wrapped his arms around her and just held her. His heart breaking to see her like this. "Whatever it is... we'll work through this... as a family right... we'll get through this... no matter what we have each other... as long as we stick together we can get through anything..."

As he held her, she just burst into tears. How could she have messed it up once more? She was going out of her mind with everything happening at once. Even her with all her grace and strength knew there was a limit. Now she was lying to her husband. One thing, she didn't like to do unless it was necessary. And even then, it didn't end well for anyone involved.

"I'm sorry-for-being..a...failure..." Clings to him tightly and buries her face into his chest.

"You're not a failure! What the hell are you even talking about? No! No baby, never!" He held her close, his hand sweeping through the back of her hair. His chest aching.

Nods. Because she was. "I-am." Sniffing loudly, she cried so brokenly. "I never meant...for any of this...to...happen."

"For what to happen baby... what's happened? Tell me... let it out darling, let me help you... please..."

She couldn't tell. He wouldn't understand. "To hurt anyone-I just want my family." She had her family. It was just a bit broken at the moment.

He didn't understand. But he held her tighter. "You have your family... we're all here baby... we're all here..."

Just letting him hold her for the moment, would be fine. He was her everything. It would be all fine. And finally, her sobs quietened down. She just wasn't ready to let go of him yet.

She was quieting at last. Her breathing regulating, though still hitching every now and again. He kissed her hair and started to pull back. "Let's get you cleaned up darling. You'll feel better after a nice, hot bath..."


End file.
